Talk focuses on Appalachian culture, traditions

If you Go

What: Global Education and Peace Network Speaker Series

When: 6:30 p.m. Thursday

Where: Shouvlin Center room 105

Cost: free

SPRINGFIELD — You might be a redneck if you don’t know that not all Appalachians are uneducated and live in trailers on the side of a cliff.

Shannon and Jared Meadows will attempt to dispel myths about Appalachian culture at the next free installment of the monthly Global Education and Peace Network’s speaker series.

“We’re going to bring to light those stereotypes ... and we’re going to talk about faith, family and farming, the realities of the central Kentucky and West Virginia heritage and culture,” she said.

The talk, “Understanding Traditions of the Hills,” will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in room 105 of the Shouvlin Center at Wittenberg University.

The Global Education and Peace Network formed out of study circles following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The theme for its ninth annual speaker series is “Why Do They Do That? Asking Questions about Cultural Traditions.”

The Meadows’ families stem from West Virginia and Kentucky. They will talk about those Appalachian stereotypes, including the origins of the term redneck, and answer any questions.

They also will discuss the priorities of many Appalachians, including a focus on craftsmanship and spending time with family.

One such tradition, Dinner on the Ground, is when families attend church on Memorial Day, then get together at cemeteries to spend the day picnicking and cleaning up the cemetery.

“In Appalachia, especially in the older generations, it’s not about the material things,” Shannon Meadows said. “It’s about what you can do to bring your family together.”

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0363 or ssommer@coxohio.com.